How is legislation proposed in the house of representatives?
How is a law actually made? What’s the whole process like? That depends, of course, on what type of law we're talking about. For this example, we'll look at how a bill first introduced in the House of Representatives becomes a public law. Show
1. When a Representative has an idea for a new law, he or she becomes the sponsor of that bill and introduces it by giving it to the Clerk of the House or by placing it in the hopper. The Clerk assigns a legislative number to the bill, H.R. for bills introduced in the House of Representatives. The Government Publishing Office (GPO) then prints the bill and makes it available digitally through GPO's govinfo.gov. 2. Next, the bill is assigned to a committee by the Speaker of the House so that it can be studied. The House has 22 standing committees, each with jurisdiction over bills in certain areas. The standing committee, or one of its subcommittees, studies the bill and hears testimony from experts and people interested in the bill. The committee may then take three actions. It might:
Releasing the bill is called reporting it out. Laying it aside is called tabling. 3. If the bill is released, it then goes on the House Calendar. Here the House Rules Committee may call for the bill to be voted on quickly, limit the debate, or limit or prohibit amendments. Undisputed bills may be passed by unanimous consent, or by a two-thirds vote if Members of the House agree to suspend the rules. 4. The bill then goes to the floor of the House for consideration and begins with a complete reading of the bill (sometimes this is the only complete reading). A third reading (title only) occurs after any amendments have been added. If 218 of the 435 Representatives vote for it to pass, the bill passes by simple majority and moves to the Senate. 5. In order to be introduced in the Senate, a Senator must be recognized by the presiding officer and announce the introduction of the bill. 6. Just as in the House, the introduced bill is assigned to a committee. It is assigned to one of the Senate's 20 standing committees by the presiding officer. The Senate committee studies and either releases or tables the bill just like the House standing committee. 7. Once released, the bill goes to the Senate floor for consideration. Bills are voted on in the Senate based on the order in which they come from the committee; however, an urgent bill may be pushed ahead by leaders of the majority party. When the Senate considers the bill, they can vote on it indefinitely. When there is no more debate, the bill is voted on. If 51 of 100 Senators vote for it, the bill passes by a simple majority. 8. The bill then moves to a conference committee, which is made up of Members from each house. The committee may work out any differences between the House and Senate versions of the bill. The revised bill is sent back to both houses for their final approval. Once approved, the bill is produced in print and digitally by the Government Publishing Office in a process called enrolling. The Clerk from the House certifies the final version. If a bill originates in the Senate, the Secretary of the Senate certifies the final version. 9. The enrolled bill is now signed by the Speaker of the House and then the Vice President. Finally, it is sent for the President's consideration. The President has ten days to sign or veto the enrolled bill. If the President signs the bill, it becomes law. If the President vetoes it, the bill can still become a law if two-thirds of the Senate and two-thirds of the House then vote in favor of the bill. And that is how laws are made! You can learn even more about this process by checking out Senate Document 105-14, How Our Laws Are Made, in text format or as a PDF. Want to know what happens next? Check out How Laws Are Implemented.
How Laws Are Made and How to Research ThemLearn how laws, regulations, and executive orders are made and how to look them up.
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Executive Orders and Other Presidential ActionsThe president creates many documents to issue orders and make announcements. These presidential actions can include executive orders, presidential memoranda, and proclamations. Find the Latest Executive Orders and Other Presidential ActionsThe White House posts the current president's executive orders and other presidential actions. The Federal Register's online records include executive orders, presidential proclamations, and other documents from the current and recent former presidents. The National Archives' online records include executive orders dating back to 1937. Learn About the Types of Presidential ActionsExecutive OrdersAn executive order has the power of federal law. Presidents can use executive orders to create committees and organizations. For example, President John F. Kennedy used one to create the Peace Corps. More often, presidents use executive orders to manage federal operations. Congress may try to overturn an executive order by passing a bill that blocks it. But the president can veto that bill. Congress would then need to override that veto to pass the bill. Also, the Supreme Court can declare an executive order unconstitutional. Presidential MemorandaPresidential memoranda are like executive orders. The president can use memos to direct government operations. But presidential memos are not numbered when they are published in the Federal Register, as executive orders are. Presidential ProclamationsPresidential proclamations are statements that address the public on policy matters. They are mainly symbolic and are usually not enforced as laws. How Federal Laws Are MadeCongress is the legislative branch of the federal government and makes laws for the nation. Congress has two legislative bodies or chambers: the U.S. Senate and the U.S. House of Representatives. Anyone elected to either body can propose a new law. A bill is a proposal for a new law. Steps in Making a Law
Differences Between the House and Senate ProceduresThe Senate and the House have some procedural differences between them. Learn more about each body’s process:
Federal and State Laws, Regulations, and Related Court DecisionsFederal laws apply to people living in the United States and its territories. Congress creates and passes bills. The president then may sign those bills into law. Federal courts may review the laws to see if they agree with the Constitution. If a court finds a law is unconstitutional, it can strike it down. Find Federal LawsThe United States Code contains general and permanent federal laws. It does not include regulations, decisions, or laws issued by:
New public and private laws appear in each edition of the United States Statutes at Large. There is a new edition for each session of Congress.
Federal RegulationsRegulations are issued by federal agencies, boards, and commissions. They explain how agencies plan to carry out laws. Regulations are published yearly in the Code of Federal Regulations. State Laws and RegulationsState legislatures make the laws in each state. State courts can review these laws. If a court decides a law doesn't agree with the state's constitution, it can declare it invalid. Find state laws and regulations with the Law Library of Congress’s guide for each state. Federal Court DecisionsFederal courts do not write or pass laws. But they may establish individual “rights” under federal law. This happens through courts' interpretations of federal and state laws and the Constitution. An example is the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision in Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka. The court decided that state laws which segregated public school students by race violated the 14th Amendment. It said that "separate but equal" schools cause minority children to feel inferior. And that hurts their educational opportunities. Research recent decisions of the Supreme Court. Or get information about historic Supreme Court decisions by topic. Last Updated: August 10, 2022 Top |